Kia Soul gets fired up with limited-edition Ignition

Kia wants you to consider its 2010 Soul a template ripe for customization, and if you can't think of funky things to do with it, Kia will be glad to help you. This is the Kia Ignition Soul – the second special edition after the 1,200 Denim Souls released earlier this year – in "scorching" Ignition Orange, with offset black striping and blacked-out 18-inch rims, an alloy gas cap, and a rear spoiler.

It starts at $17,500 for the manual, making it $200 more than the Denim. But you won't complain about equipment: upgraded stereo, moon roof, keyless remote entry, tinted windows, cruise control, Bluetooth, and then some. Kia hasn't indicated yet if the Ignition Soul will be limited in number like the Denim was. You can get all the details in the press release after the jump, and check out all that orangeness in the high-res gallery below.

- Ignition Soul offers scorching new color, prominent wheels and rally-inspired skin
- Second in line of special edition Souls offers same value, safety and myriad personalization options as the original Kia SoulIRVINE, December 16, 2009 – Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced the arrival of the special edition Ignition Soul, the second of four special edition Souls to roll into dealerships. The 2010 Ignition Soul, named for its unique exterior color treatment, extends the youthful urban passenger vehicle's radical styling even further and demonstrates Soul's expansive list of personalization options. The Ignition Soul joins all other Soul models as a 2010 "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This second special edition Soul offers consumers yet another opportunity to find a Soul as unique as their own personalities and is matched with impressive fuel economy figures and standard safety features.

"Soul continues to demonstrate its styling versatility and ability to evolve," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. "Ignition Soul offers consumers yet another way to express their individuality in a new way, packaged with the same value, safety and technology as the standard trims."

Exclusive to the Ignition Soul is a unique ignition orange exterior color, striking black 18-inch alloy wheels with machined accents, an athletic-looking body kit and rear spoiler found standard on sport trims, an alloy fuel door for an even more contemporary appearance and a bold off-set black racing stripe to complete the overall appearance. Like the previously launched special edition Denim Soul, Ignition Soul is based on the Soul+ model and is fully loaded with the Audio Upgrade Package (center speaker, subwoofer, external amplifier and speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music), an iPod® connection cable for full functionality via the radio head unit and steering wheel controls, carpeted floor mats, moon roof, fender vents with side marker repeaters and fog lights. The special edition Ignition Soul starts at $17,500¹ with a five-speed manual transmission.

Building from the Soul+ model, Ignition Soul also offers standard keyless remote entry, privacy glass on the rear and rear side windows, body-color door handles and dual body-color power side mirrors. Soul+ offers additional standard features including cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth® hands-free connectivity, dual 12-volt power outlets and tweeter speakers, all enhancing creature comforts on the road, as well as a covered upper storage bin, dual visor vanity mirrors with covers and dual map lights. Black cloth seats are adorned with Soul logo inserts, further personalizing the cabin.

About the Kia Soul
The Soul has won numerous accolades since arriving in dealerships, including two "Top Safety Pick" awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a "2010 Automotive Excellence Award" by Popular Mechanics, a "Super Value Award" by The Active Network, Inc., being named to Ward's Autoworld's "Interior of the Year" list for "Grooviest Interior, named to 2009 Coolest New Cars Under $18,000 list by Kelley Blue Book's Kbb.com," among several others. Available in four trims, Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport, pricing for the versatile five door begins at $13,300 for the base trim, while Soul+ starts at $14,950. Enhancing to the Soul! or Soul sport offers a price beginning at $16,950.

Standard Kia Safety Features
Soul continues to offer the same high level of standard safety equipment as all new Kia vehicles, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags. An Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) also are standard. Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard on all Soul models, making for a comprehensive list of standard safety features.

Industry-Leading Warranty
Like all new Kia models, Soul is covered by a comprehensive warranty program, which offers unprecedented consumer protection. Included in this program are a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty, and a five-year/100,000-mile antiperforation warranty. A five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the comprehensive coverage program.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 660 dealers throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share and more recently achieved its best quarter of sales ever in 2009. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA." Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

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Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Luis - Maybe you should check the specs.

Soul has more cargo space (rear seat up, with no cargo cover), and more legroom. Shorter wheelbase, and overall outer dimensions. The 2nd gen Xb just bloated up for no good reason. Curb weight is 200lbs less on the soul, 1.6l gets 26/31, and the 2.0 soul gets 24/30MPG, while the xb's only offered 2.4l gets 22/28.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

Waaaaaay up here in Canada, Scion still ain't open for business. But IMO the Soul is a great-looking car and priced right. How can you even compare it with the Element, which is far larger and a lot more expensive?

I'd love to be able to buy one of these for my daughter (it's that kind of car). Only two problems: I can't afford it, and she's only 11.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

I'm shocked at how much I'm digging this. Usually I hate orange on cars but this looks surprisingly well done. I've yet to test drive one to see how it drives, but I am in the market for a tossably fun hatchback and the Fiesta feels so far away in the summer.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

The Fit is quite tossable, and is arguably one of the better Hondas these days (also available in Orange :)). Plus, it's versatile interior is better than the Ford's and it's re-sale value will top both this and the Fiesta's.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

@Tess: that's always the case. I want to upgrade my iPhone but I know a new one is right around the corner.

You should buy what will make you happy for the next 5-10 years. I made that mistake in the past and have owned 8 cars in the last 13 years. I finally have the one I really wanted and I am happy every time I row the gears while taking a tight curve.

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

I've been tempted but for some reason I am really digging the Fiesta. I'm also a bit of a Mazda fanboy so I'm waiting to see the Mazda2. Hoping for news of either Ecoboost fiesta or mazdaspeed2. I just know as soon as I order something, a better car will be announced.

Anonymous

Anonymous

5 Years Ago

@Luis: that's just the thing, my ideal car changes from week to week. There are some days where traffic is such a killer that I consider a GTI with the DSG. The other half of my commute is back roads and make me so thankful to have 3 pedals. I love smaller cars, but I've got 2 kids now and while I don't drive them often, there are times when back seats are needed. My car is primarily a commute car for just me, the wife has an SUV that is the full time family mobile.

I think I am going to have to invent my own car, a hatchback with a 6-spd transmission connected to servo motors so that I can flip a switch in traffic and let a computer do the clutching and shifting. Clutch cruise control... Yeah.